Rustic Potato Gratin
I have made some delicious potatoes in my life. But never, not EVER have I made anything close to as glorious as these potatoes.
Rich and creamy with the most lovely golden crust your taste buds could ever imagine. Inspired by a technique that I had been hearing about from White on Rice Couple, I set out to make some scalloped potatoes for our dinner guests last night. {If for some reason you aren't in the know about White on Rice Couple, you simply MUST check them out....but not right now. Not until you've finished reading about my potatoes because you are sure to get sidetracked over there with all of the beautiful food, photography and love that emanates from their blog}.
So back to this "technique" that Todd adopted for scalloped potatoes---breaking up the topping with the back of a spoon {I guess you could use the front of a spoon too} a couple of times during the cooking process. It's absolute genius! It gives each and every potato near the top of the dish a chance to shine with crispy, beautiful golden-ness.
I served these potatoes alongside some fish cooked with lemon, wine and capers and some oven-roasted brussels {recipes forthcoming} and my guests flipped! Shoot, even I flipped. They were absolutely off the charts! This recipe just made it into my "make anytime company is coming over" box.
Here's how easy it is to make 'em....especially if you bust out your mandoline for easy, consistent slicing of the vegetables.
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 large yellow onion, sliced to 1/8"
2 1/2 lbs russet pototoes, peeled and sliced to 1/8"
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced to 1/8"
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup chicken {or vegetable} broth
1 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to Convection Bake setting at 350 degrees. In a large oven-safe skillet {12" cast iron if you have it}, heat 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Add in sliced onions and allow to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until they begin to soften.
Add in sliced potatoes, remaining butter, salt and pepper and continue to cook and stir for another 3-4 minutes. Try to separate pototoes and incorporate onions as evenly as possible. These pototoes are called rustic because they aren't perfectly layered like traditional scalloped potatoes, but believe me the flavors are perfectly incorporated and each and every bite is insanely delicious.
Add carrots and stir to combine.
Add in broth and whipping cream and give a little stir.
Remove skillet from heat and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Place in the oven and cook for 20 minutes.
Using the back of a spoon, gently break up the crust thats beginning to form on the top.
Put back in the oven for another 20 minutes. Repeat breaking up the crust.
Put back in the oven for 10 more minutes. You will see the most gorgeous dish you've ever wanted devour.
Remove skillet from oven and get ready to knock some socks off.
